Attention all FIDOS,

I hope you have seen the notices posted in Parleys (aka Tanner or simply the "Gully") announcing an open house to be held:Thursday,
April 24th,
from 6 - 8 PM
at the Sugarhouse Park Garden Center (1602 E 2100 S).

The notice asks for public input concerning:
Future development elements planned for the gully
It mentions the Parleys Management Plan and the Implementation Plan.

FIDOS Concerns:

Fencing that is planned for this summer all the way to the east end, closing off many more acres (and shady trails) from our use. Dogs and their owners we will be pushed almost halfway up the big field.

Dogs and their owners will lose what is referred to in the Management Plan as the "Creek Trail".

Resulting in allowing us what amounts to only the use of one fenced trail that we can use to walk up and down.

There will be no loop trails, no open areas as promised in the Management Plan.

None of the implementation steps outlined in the Management Plan have been followed, the city has simply moved to the most punitive and expensive extreme.

They would like to know what we think about some other planned "elements", please try to attend the meeting and let them know.

Cost to Dog Owners:

The Mayor's office also is promoting a new off leash plan that would place additional restrictions on our user group along with fees to use the ever smaller spaces we have left to us without adding anything new. The proposed fee for using off leash areas (including Parleys/Tanner) would be $5 for residents and $25 for non-residents. There is no real explanation about how the money raised would be used but it would get us no more than we now have.

We need a Dog and Dog Owner Friendly person at the City to be our Liaison as a valid speaking organization for the City & County Dog Owners and their Dogs.

This Administration continues to do everything in its power (and it has a lot of power) to diminish our user group and to take away space and add restrictions - attend the meeting and tell them that we do not want or need more "amenities", we simply need open space that we can use to recreate with our furry friends. We simply want to be treated in the same manner as other valid user groups.

There has not been any inclusion or outreach to FIDOS or other specific dog owner groups in the City or County.

Our annual party is coming up on Saturday, December 14th, at 7:00 PM at Holladay United Church of Christ (2631 East Murray-Holladay Rd). Join us for the fun -
Enjoy a performance by the fabulous Mary Tebbs - http://www.reverbnation.com/marytebbs - and lots of food, drink and fun!

Tickets are just $10 with a bottle of wine or munchie to share or $15 without.

There will be a silent auction to help raise funds for the cause. Everything raised will be used to promote responsible dog ownership and to work towards creating and keeping "off leash" open space. We donate funds to candidates who are favorable to us and for lobbying efforts.

If you have anything you would like to donate to the silent auction or if you know of someone who might be willing to, please contact Rita at 801-550-5474 or ritalund@msn.com. All donors will be highlighted at the event and on FIDOS promotional materials.

If you live in the Avenues and/or use Lindsey Gardens, the battle against the fence continues. City staff has not given up their fight to fence in the existing off-leash area at Lindsey Gardens. Please attend the Greater Avenues Community Council this Wednesday, and let your voice be heard. Last time this was on their agenda, the opposition came out in full force, and the off-leash users were largely absent. Please attend, and bring your friends and children! Staff will use any opportunity to argue that our voices shouldn't count!!! Below is the article from the October GACC Newsletter. If you are unable to attend, please send an email to Tara at the City (her email is at the bottom of the article) and bcc pollyh@xmission.com.

Thank you, Millcreek FIDOS

Lindsey Gardens Off-Leash Dog Park Update
The January and February GACC meetings were focused on the issue of the off-leash dog park in Lindsey Gardens. Eight months later, Ann Ober, the Salt Lake City Public Services Administrative Services Director, will attend our October 2 meeting to bring us up-to-date regarding the proposal to fence the area. Because no firm decision or time frame has been reached, staff at Public Services is still taking public comments and suggestions.
Contact Tara Hasenoehrl at (801) 535-7116 or tara.hasenoehrl@slcgov.com.

If you live in the Avenues and/or use Lindsey Gardens, the battle against the fence continues. City staff has not given up their fight to fence in the existing off-leash area at Lindsey Gardens. Please attend the Greater Avenues Community Council this Wednesday, and let your voice be heard. Last time this was on their agenda, the opposition came out in full force, and the off-leash users were largely absent. Please attend, and bring your friends and children! Staff will use any opportunity to argue that our voices shouldn't count!!! Below is the article from the October GACC Newsletter. If you are unable to attend, please send an email to Tara at the City (her email is at the bottom of the article) and bcc pollyh@xmission.com.

Thank you, Millcreek FIDOS

Lindsey Gardens Off-Leash Dog Park Update
The January and February GACC meetings were focused on the issue of the off-leash dog park in Lindsey Gardens. Eight months later, Ann Ober, the Salt Lake City Public Services Administrative Services Director, will attend our October 2 meeting to bring us up-to-date regarding the proposal to fence the area. Because no firm decision or time frame has been reached, staff at Public Services is still taking public comments and suggestions.
Contact Tara Hasenoehrl at (801) 535-7116 or tara.hasenoehrl@slcgov.com.

09/18/2013

FIDOS Needs You In September

Hello Millcreek FIDOS-

We have two important events coming up in September. Please help us with one or both of the following:

STRUT YOUR MUTT Millcreek FIDOS will need volunteers to man our booth at Strut your Mutt on Saturday, September 21, 8:30am-1:00pm at Liberty Park. We will need four people for each shift (8:00am-10:30am and 10:30am-1:00pm), two people at the booth and two people roaming the crowd passing out flyers.

2013 CANDIDATE FORUM Please attend our 2013 Salt Lake City Council Candidate Forum on Monday, September 23, 7:00pm, at Sprague Library in Sugarhouse. It is important to let our current and future council members know about the importance of our issue. The latest battle: When the Salt Lake City Council approved the management plan for Parleys (Tanner) Park, they called for a 50 feet fence along the creek. The Parks Department has increased that to 150 feet, THREE TIMES what the council approved and it will run the entire length of the stream. This fence is scheduled for next summer and we need members of the Salt Lake City Council to understand the negative impact these fences will have, not only on the natural beauty of the park but on those of us who use the park, forcing us almost completely out of all of the shady trails and further reduces the amount of off leash space left to us. Please come voice your opinion! We are also looking for people to pass out reminder flyers prior to the event.

For Information or to volunteer, please email Polly Hart at pollyh@xmission.com or call her at 801-231-8118.

08/12/2013

Primary Elections

Attention all FIDOS -
If you live in a city, please remember to head to the polls tomorrow. In Salt Lake City, there will be a big change in membership on the City Council that could be very important for off leash issues, not only future developments at Parleys (Tanner) Park but with a proposal that is moving along in Mayor Becker's office related to dog off leash policies that has some areas of concern to FIDOS.
FIDOS representatives have been contacted by and have met with some of the candidates for Salt Lake City Council. We wanted you to be aware of the candidates who considered FIDOS an important group to talk with.
DISTRICT 7:
FIDOS representatives have met with Deb Henry and Topher Horman. Both have dogs, have used Parleys (Tanner) and seem to understand our issues and needs.
DISTRICT 5:
Erin Mendenhall has also contacted us but we have been unable to meet as yet due to summer schedules.
DISTRICT 3:
Stan Penfold has been a friend to FIDOS and our issues during his term in office. He voted in favor of the failed proposal for Parleys that would have given us more space and involvement and FIDOS supported him in the last election cycle.
DISTRICT 1:
We have not been approached by any of the candidates in this district.

Also, please remember the FIDOS CANDIDATE FORUM that has been scheduled for Monday, September 23rd, at 7:00 PM at the Sprague Branch (Sugar House) Library. This will be your opportunity to meet and talk with the candidates who make it through the primaries. We will also be sending the candidate's answers to a written questionnaire to you as we receive them.

Again, remember to exercise your right to choose the people who will be representing you in the future. There are many things to consider as you make your choice, but we ask that you consider the needs of our canine friends while making your decision. If you need more information about the primary election in your area, please visit the Salt Lake County Clerk's website at http://clerk.slco.org/elections/candidateInfo/municipalcandidateinformation.html .

It has come to our attention that the Forest Service, in cooperation with the Division of Wildlife Resources, has plans to begin a Mill Creek restoration project. Between 2013 and 2017, the project will involve vegetation plantings, barrier removal in the stream and plans to improve public access and safety.

As part of this project, rotenone will be used in the stream to poison all non-native fish in order to replace them with native cutthroat trout. Rotenone will be put into segments of the stream and when the non-native fish have been removed, a reversal process will take place.

We know all of you are very concerned with the well-being of your dog and that you would like to know the process and how it may affect your enjoyment of the canyon. An open house has been scheduled for Thursday, June 27th, between 6:30 and 8:30 PM, in the Skyline High School cafeteria.

One open house has already taken place and we apologize that we did not let you know about it, we just found out about the project although the Forest Service apparently has been working on the plans for over a year.

Please plan to attend to learn about the project and have your questions answered. We would suggest that you request that there be widely publicized notification when the water treatments are taking place to allow us to avoid those areas with our children and dogs while the rotenone is being used.

You can find more information on the project at http://fs.usda.gov.MillcreekCutthroat or http://wildlife.utah.gov.millcreek .

The Department of Public Services is holding an open public meeting regarding the Lindsey Gardens off-leash proposals on Thursday, May 2nd at 6:30 pm. The purpose of this meeting is to hear and collect more public comments from the residents before any recommendations are made. We will have the meeting at Lindsey Gardens park on the lawn at the corner of 7th Avenue and M Street.

We will be posting this information publicly as we do for all public meetings. Gwen Springmeyer is also posting this information to the GACC home page. It will also be announced at the upcoming GACC meeting on May 1st.

Thank you all for your e-mail inquiries, comments, and concerns. I want you all to know that I have compiled them, shared them with the Public Services Director as well as the Acting Director of Parks and Public Lands. We greatly appreciate your feedback and thank you for your patience through this process.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me. Hope to see you all on May 2nd!

Spring has sprung, the grass has grew, oh where, oh where is last year's poo?? Well, it is right there peeking out from under the snow and it needs to be cleaned up right away.

Seriously people, this is really no laughing matter. The first thing that responsible dog owners do is clean up and they clean up everything they see, not just deposits left by their own dogs. Overlooked dog waste is the major complaint we always hear and this time of year the complaints ramp up.

We all need to do our part, do extra clean-ups on your regular walks, join a few friends and spend some time on your favorite trail and pick up everything you see. And, as always, carry extra bags and offer them to anyone you may see not cleaning up or clean up for them. Spend a little time educating others about the difficulties we have faced in getting and keeping off leash space and how important this is to all of us.

If you live in the Greater Avenues Community Council area (Avenues and Federal Heights), your voice is needed at tonight's GACC meeting. Only GACC residents can vote (PLEASE BRING YOUR ID TO PROVE ADDRESS).

There will be a vote tonight on Lindsey Gardens Off Leash Area. You will have two choices:

A. Vote to expand the off leash area all the way to N Street.
B. Fence in the existing off leash area with no expansion.

PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT YOUR OFF LEASH SPACE.
Questions? Call Polly at 801-231-8118

01/05/2013

A Tragic Reminder

FIDOS-

Please be cautious with your dogs when hiking out in the foothills and wilderness. With the cold and snowy weather challenging predators out there (not to mention humans moving into their territory), they are getting bold. Please be extra careful with smaller dogs! A 15 pound Jack Russell was snatched and killed by a coyote this morning on Ensign Peak above Capitol Hill. Attached is a link to the story.

Saturday, December 1st - 7:00 PM
Holladay United Church of Christ located at 2361 E Murray Holladay Blvd

Don't miss the fun with wine and cheese tasting, live music and a wonderful silent auction to raise funds for FIDOS!!

Admission is only $15 if you bring a bottle of wine or "munchiesæ to share, and only $20 without.

The silent auction will feature lots of goodies for both people and critters.

Get your holiday shopping done, meet new and old friends (sorry, two-legged FIDOS only) while supporting a great cause.

If you would like to donate something to the silent auction or if you know of someone who might be interested in donating an item, please contact Rita at ritalund@msn.com or by phone at 801-550-5474.

Don't let your dog loving friends miss out on the fun, pass the word!!
See you there!!

10/06/2012

The Elections!!

We realize that there are many important issues for you to consider when making your determination about who to cast your vote for. And we appreciate all of you who attended our Candidate Forum, we hope you came away with a better understanding of each candidate and their stands.

For those of you who were unable to attend the meeting, we have asked each candidate to answer a few questions that are related to the "off leash" open space issue. They are posted below for you to read through. We have had many questions about where the candidates stand on our specific issue and hope this helps your decision making.

The candidates are:

SALT LAKE COUNTY MAYOR - Mark Crockett and Ben McAdams - If you live anywhere in Salt Lake County, one of these candidates will be your Mayor

SALT LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL AT LARGE - Jim Bradley and Joseph Demma - If you live anywhere in Salt Lake County, one of these candidates will represent you on the County Council.

SALT LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT #2 - Michael Jensen and Brent Goodfellow - District #2 represents the western part of the valley, including Kearns, Magna, Herriman, parts of So. Jordan, Riverton, Bluffdale and other areas.

SALT LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT #4 - Sam Granato and Missy Larsen - District #4 represents Millcreek, Holladay, Cottonwood Heights along with a part of Salt Lake City and other areas

SALT LAKE COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT #6 - Paul Recanzone and Max Burdick - District #6 represents Draper, Sandy, parts of Midvale and other areas

Find out how the candidates for Salt Lake County Mayor and Council At Large will help replace the off leash space lost in Parleys (Tanner), if they know that Salt Lake County operates NO off leash areas other than Millcreek Canyon, ask them if they promise to direct the county, the largest holder of open space in the valley, to add badly needed off leash open space.

Let them know that the decision making process in Parleys ignored a large and enthusiastic citizen group, and damaged both their beloved recreation activity and the park itself. Let them know that voters expect better from their public servants, ask them how they will promise to balance the voices of well connected minorities with broader user groups!!!

It is important that these candidates understand the huge need for space for our user group!!

Let them know "loud and clear" that what happened in Salt Lake City is unacceptable to us and that they need to step up to the plate and provide space for us!

Ask the incumbents why this hasn't already been done and tell all the candidates that plans for off leash space need to be made and implemented!

Please take a moment to review the Candidates responses to questions concerning off-leash open space:
Candidate Q & A

04/03/2012

Paws on Patios Update

Dear FIDOS Friends,

Thanks so much to all of you who sent your thank you messages to Councilmember Arlyn Bradshaw for his work to
change health ordinances to allow our furry canine friends to enjoy outdoor patio dining with us. The comment
period for the amendment to the health regulation (Regulation #5, "Food Sanitation") is now open.

Please look at the link to the Health Department shown below and send in your positive comments to this "Paws on
Patios" initiative - for information on the proposed changes, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on
Regulation #5, "Food Sanitation".

Email comments are also accepted, you wil find the link on the Health Department page. You can also attend the
public hearing that will take place on April 11th from 5-7pm at their offices in Murray shown above.
Link: http://www.slvhealth.org/envRegs/proposedRegs.html

Small changes such as this regulation change help immensely in our efforts to move toward a much needed
dog-friendly community here in the Salt Lake Valley. So please take some time to get your comments in. Thanks so
much.

We wanted to make sure you knew about an exciting proposal that has been proposed County Councilmember Arlyn
Bradshaw. You can read about Paws on Patios in the Salt Lake Tribune at: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53616482-78/dog-dogs-lake-salt.html.csp.
There will be a request from the Health Department for public comment soon. We will let you know when it is time
to send your positive comments.

We are excited at the prospect of being able to walk to our favorite cafe or coffeehouse with our furry family
members for some fresh air dining. Millcreek FIDOS encourges all of you to send a thank you to Councilmember
Bradshaw at ARBradshaw@slco.org for working hard to give us this opportunity.

It is tax time and this year we all have an excellent opportunity to help the dogs that serve. You all should
remember the Midvale police dog that was killed in the line of duty a while back. This tragedy prompted a move
to provide canine body armor for every police dog in the state.

You can easily do your part. When you are filling out your Utah State Tax Form, watch for the "Contributions"
section, line 28. In considering your contributions, we encourage each of you to mark a few dollars donation to
Code 11, Canine Body Armor. While you are there, don't forget Code 9, Dog & Cat Community Spay &
Neuter Program.

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying this winter. If you are a Parleys/Tanner/gully
walker, we just wanted to remind you that the hill going down is in its treacherous icy state and is not very
safe without extra traction on your shoes. Also, the park is starting to look very dirty as layers of snow are
melting to reveal doggie deposits that had been missed. We know some is still frozen into the glacier but if
everyone will do a little extra cleaning up, the park could be clean in no time. We also have a new bag
container near the off leash sign at the top of the hill so please bring your plastic grocery bags to help stock
it.

As always, please clean up WHEREVER you walk and remind others to do their part. The ski trail
in Millcreek Canyon could also use some work.
Enjoy your walks and if any new FIDOS news comes down the pipe you will be the first to hear.

DONT MISS THE BEST PARTY OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON - IT'S TIME FOR THE FIDOS HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER!!

The FIDOS HOLIDAY PARTY & FUNDRAISER is coming up!!FIDOS will be holding its always popular Holiday Party on Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 - 7:00 PM
Holladay United Church of Christ
2631 E Murray-Holladay Blvd

Enjoy some wine and cheese tasting, live music and visiting with other dog lovers!! Admission is only $15 if you
bring a bottle of wine or a "munchie" to share and just $20 without. Get some holiday shopping done at the
silent auction while raising funds for a worthwhile organization.

There is still time to make a donation to the cause, if you have something you would like to donate to the cause
or if you know someone who you think might be interested, please contact Rita at ritalund@msn.com or by phone at
801-550-5474.

Be sure your friends get to join the fun, pass the word!!
See you there!!!

The FIDOS HOLIDAY PARTY & FUNDRAISER is coming up!!FIDOS will be holding its always popular Holiday Party on Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 - 7:00 PM
Holladay United Church of Christ
2631 E Murray-Holladay Blvd

Join us for a holiday wine and cheese-tasting, complete with silent auction, to raise funds for FIDOS!!
Admission is only $15 if you bring a bottle of wine or a munchie to share, and only $20 without. The silent
auction will feature lots of goodies for both people and critters. Here is the perfect opportunity to get some
holiday shopping done, chat with friends and fellow dog-lovers,
and support a worthwhile organization all at the same time.

If you would like to donate something to the silent auction or if you know of an artisan, restaurant, business
or just plain good person that should be offered the opportunity to participate by contributing something to the
auction, please contact
Rita at ritalund@msn.com or by phone at 801-550-5474.

Be sure your friends get to join the fun, pass the word!!
See you there!!!

Salt Lake City Elections for City Council and Mayor are coming up fast

Dear FIDOS,

If you live in Salt Lake City, elections for Salt Lake City Council and Mayor are coming up fast. We strongly
encourage you to get out and vote for the candidates of your choice.

There are many things to carefully consider as you make the important decision of who will get your vote. One of
these may be the candidate's stand on providing "off leash"
space for dog owners. FIDOS has held its annual Candidate Forum. Candidates in attendance were mayoral candidate
Ralph Becker, council district #2 candidates Kyle LaMalfa
and Van Turner, council district #4 candidate Luke Garrott, and council district #6 candidates Charlie Luke and
JT Martin.

Based on comments made at the FIDOS candidate forum and past voting records of the incumbents, FIDOS is
endorsing the following candidates:

SALT LAKE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT #2 - KYLE LAMALFA

SALT LAKE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT #4 - LUKE GARROTT

SALT LAKE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT #6 - CHARLIE LUKE

Again, please remember to vote. We hope that the FIDOS endorsements will help guide you in your decision.

Salt Lake City Mayoral and Council elections are coming up quickly and FIDOS will be hosting a CANDIDATE FORUM.
Here is your chance to learn how the candidates feel about open space where we can exercise "off leash" with our
dogs.

WHY - Mayor Becker's management plan has seriously restricted the space that we can use in PARLEYS (TANNER) PARK. Councilmembers Van Turner and JT Martin voted for the restrictions. We finally have a chance to ask WHY???

WHY was there such little communication with our user group?

WHY don't you consider "off leash" users as an important user group?

WHY is the huge need for more space not considered?

HOW DO THE OTHER CANDIDATES FEEL ABOUT IT?

HOW DO THE OTHER CANDIDATES FEEL ABOUT IT?
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE INCUMBENTS AND CANDIDATES REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO US - BE SURE TO ATTEND, BRING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND PASS THE WORD!! SEE YOU THERE!!Your Friends at FIDOSwww.FIDOSFoundation.org / www.MillcreekFIDOS.org

Candidates for Salt Lake City Mayor and Council will be there and this is your chance to ask them about their
vote on the Parleys (Tanner) Management Plan that significantly reduced the amount of space where our members
can recreate with their dogs "off leash".

Mayor Becker has indicated that he will be in attendance along with Councilmembers JT Martin, Van Turner and
Carlton Christensen, all of whom voted FOR the Mayor's Plan. Meet the candidates who are running against these
incumbents and find out what their feelings are about the issue.

It is important that elected officials realize that our user group consists of their constituents, residents who
value open space and MUST be recognized as an deserving user group. It is not acceptable to us that space is
continually taken away and that we are shut out of discussions and decisions.

Come and meet the Candidates, ask your questions and let them know your concerns and issues.

PLEASE BE VERY CERTAIN TO KEEP YOUR CHILDREN AND DOGS UNDER CONTROL AND WATCH THEM CLOSELY ALONG ANY LOCAL
STREAMS. THE WATER IS RUNNING EXTREMELY HIGH AND SWIFTLY. IT IS ALSO VERY COLD.
IF YOUR DOG IS A WATER DOG, PLEASE STAY COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE STREAMS OR KEEP THEM LEASHED!! EVEN SHALLOW
WADING IN EDDIES FOR A DRINK IS UNSAFE!!!
DON'T EVEN TRY GOING INTO THE WATER TO SAVE YOUR DOG IF IT DOES FALL IN. THE CURRENTS ARE SIMPLY TOO STRONG AND
THE STRONGEST PERSON IS SIMPLY NO MATCH. GO DOWNSTREAM AND TRY TO FIND SPOTS WHERE HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT, AND
ASK OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AREA FOR HELP. BUT STAY AWAY FROM THE WATER.

PLEASE PASS THE WORD, THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN WAY, WAY TOO MANY DOGS PUT IN PERIL AND WAY, WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE
MOURNING THE LOSS OF THEIR CANINE FAMILY MEMBER!!

www.MillcreekFIDOS.org

04/03/2011

Pet Licensing News

Dear FIDOS,

Last week the Salt Lake County Council considered exciting new ordinance changes. These changes were positively
received and should be approved this week at their Tuesday meeting. FIDOS board members met with the Animal
Services Director Shawni Larrabee and based on the conversation, fully endorsed the proposal.

This week on Tuesday, March 5th, the Salt Lake City Council will be considering similar changes. We encourage
everyone to contact their councilmembers and Mayor Becker and ask them to support the proposal.

Here are the main points of the proposal and some explanation of our support:

REMOVAL OF LIMITS OF PETS ALLOWED PER RESIDENCE

CAT LICENSING

HIGHER PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE

SIX MONTH FREE TEMPORARY LICENSE FOR NEW PETS

MICROCHIP AT NO COST WITH ANY LICENSE

These changes are based on a licensing program modeled after Calgary, Canada. The return rate for lost pets in
Calgary is close to 80% due to stringent licensing requirements. The proposal emphasizes responsible pet ownership
and pet safety along with developing a better interaction between pet owners and animal services. For example, pets
who are picked up can be immediately identified and when possible would be returned home directly without being
taken to the shelter.

This concept applies to cats as well as dogs. Many FIDOS members' families include cats as well as dogs. It is
important that these feline family members have the same protection as canine members.
We were also impressed with the emphasis on mediation and communication rather than strong enforcement.

Thanks to everyone for all of their help with writing letters, attending meetings and letting Salt Lake City
officials know that there is a huge need for areas where their citizens can go to get exercise with their dogs
"off leash". Unfortunately, last Tuesday's decision by the Salt Lake City Council to adopt Mayor
Becker's management plan places severe restrictions on available off leash space in Parleys Park (Tanner)
without providing additional space to replace what has been taken away.

We are very disappointed in the outcome of this long and exhausting process. We thank Councilmembers
Soren Simonsen and Luke Garrott for their unwavering support and understanding. Councilmembers Jill
Remington-Love and Stan Penfold were willing to spend time with us and listen to our concerns.

Now that we have experienced this major set-back we need to set our sights to the future and how we as a group
can best advocate for our needs. Unfortunately, our collective voices have been dismissed as just so much
"public clamor" and has been turned against us. The few who spoke out too loudly or rudely have become the
hallmark of the entire group. FIDOS has become a group to be dismissed as a bunch of activists, we must return
to being the advocacy group for our cause.

We are a group of people who deeply care for the environment, we ask for the ability to recreate with our family
members in open areas. We have shown that we are willing to work to improve an off leash space and to partner
with government if given the chance. We need to continue to work toward that goal.

In the meantime, we now have specific sections of Parleys that are designated "off leash" with the
possibility of additional "on leash" trails in the future. We understand that these restrictions will
cause increased congestion in the allowed area and will magnify the impact. We ask that everyone please
abide by the new rules and encourage others to do so as well. Please continue to pick up any
dog waste you encounter and carry it out to the garbage cans in the parking lot. This is huge, one of
the main reasons that Councilmembers Van Turner and Carlton Christensen voted against us is because water
sampling showed problems with water quality on one day during the last year. Even though it was a single day and
counts throughout the remainder of the year stayed well before allowable levels, we as a group care deeply about
water quality. Our main message has been consistent, clean up after your dog.

Implementation of the new plan will be gradual as funding becomes available but you should see signs very soon.

The County Sheriff will be continuing his "Care and Share" program and will be enforcing posted
rules. The data thus far has been good, people are obeying the rules. Keep up the good work!!

Thanks again to eveyone who helped out and watch for future messages. We will keep you informed.

Your Friends at Millcreek FIDOS (Friends Interested in Dogs and Open Spaces)

12/31/2010

City Council Meeting to consider overriding Becker's veto

Yet again we need a large turnout at the City Council meeting. Mayor Becker's veto of the Council's plan has left
the council members in a position of whether or not to override the Mayor.

We have made a huge difference on this issue, but the battle for the dogs of Utah is ongoing--especially
regarding Parley's.

The group FIDOs (Friends Interested in Dogs and Open Spaces) provided this excellent summary of where we stand
now. Please read and share the link on your Facebook page:

http://fidosfoundation.org/archives/177

The information below is from the City Council staff. Please come, bring friends, family and spread the word via
Facebook and other tools!

Thank you for your continued interest in Parley's Historic Nature Park (PHNP).

The Council is scheduled to hold a discussion during the Work Session regarding the Mayor's Veto of three
ordinancees pertaining to PHNP.

At 7:00 pm during the formal Council meeting:

Potential Action Item - On December 14, 2010, the City Council adopted three ordinances pertaining to Parley's
Historic Nature Park. The Mayor vetoed the ordinances and submitted a letter on December 27, 2010 stating his
objections.

As provided in UCA 10-3b-204: "At its next meeting following a mayor's veto . . . the council shall reconsider
the vetoed ordinance . . . " If at least two-thirds (5) of all Council Members vote in favor of adopting any of
the ordinances, then the ordinance becomes effective notwithstanding the veto. However, if an override vote
fails, then the Council may decide to amend the ordinance, vote, and send the amended ordinance to the Mayor for
his consideration.

We hope that all of you will let Mayor Becker know that you are disappointed by his veto of the City Council's
well balanced approach to the Parleys Historic Nature Park management plan. If you have sent a message to the
Mayor in the past, you may have received his "canned" response in which he states that his plan would provide 30
acres of off-leash space, down from the 80 acres that FIDOS has worked so hard to take care of over the past few
years.

In the Mayor's message today to the City Council he once again changes his proposal - this time it was cut in
half again to 15 acres.

As there has been no response to our requests for meetings or information over the course of this process, we
once again are in the dark about his proposal. Is it 30 acres or is it 15 acres? Does the plan still propose
to put our user group into fenced in "pens" or on "off leash trails" and what is the definition of an "off leash
trail"? If environmental protection is of the utmost importance, why have all requests from FIDOS to complete
improvement projects at no cost to the city been rejected for years? Who are the other user groups who will step
in when we are kicked out and what have they done in the past to prove their good faith?

The mayor's office has been willing to refuse the assistance of a very interested user group and the mayor has
not taken any steps to fulfill the City's own responsibility to maintain the park. He also made an executive
decision to move the PRATT trail onto the main road, thereby forcing all traffic onto their only alternative
trail along the stream during construction for two years. All of these causing increased impacts. This appears
to us to be a strategy aimed at causing environmental degredation with the express intent of revisiting the
question and placing the blame exclusively on dog owners.

Special consideration has been given to the BMX bikers and the tube shooters. The vandals and graffiti artists
are barely mentioned. The damage caused by bicycles riding off trail or in muddy conditions has not even been
mentioned. The damage obviously caused by kids at the rope swing has been unjustly blamed on dogs. There is
nothing about sledding on steep erosion channels causing further erosion. Where are the additional areas that
will be opened? Why is space being taken away before this additional space is designated? Literally everything
in this plan is against YOU - the dog owner. The Mayor's answer to the crying need for off leash space is to
take away what is already there and working. Every other user group is being placed above you.

Let the Mayor know that you are unhappy with his decision. Ask him to at least include FIDOS in the
discussion. His message states "Contrary to some of the information you might have received, in the course of
the Plan development I've had dozens of meetings and interactions with FIDOS supporters and others who want
Parleys Historic Nature Park completely off-leash" - ask him about these meetings. The truth is that
in the course of the last three years while his office has been preparing this plan, FIDOS repeated requests for
meetings have been completely ignored without even the courtesy of a response. With the exception of one meeting
over a year ago, there have been ABSOLUTELY NO meetings with individual FIDOS representatives. If you
were in attendance at the one public hearing that the mayor attended in the park you will remember that he spent
the time chatting with other administrative personnel during the public comment session, showing very little
interest in what his constituents had come to say to him.

Send your message to ralph.becker@slcgov.com . Remind him that you are not interested in the destruction of the
environment, that the FIDOS group has done more to improve the park than any other group. Tell him that his
inaction and refusal to accept FIDOS repeated offers of improvement projects as a strategy toward removing our
user group from this valued space is inappropriate and counter-productive. That his actions are not in
keeping with his loudly proclaimed environmental stand, it is apparent that his office has worked hard to
create problems in the park with one goal in mind - get rid of the dogs!! He has shown himself willing to
promote environmental damage in order to remove our user group and in the case of the PRATT trail, replace
it with another user group - bicycles.

It is interesting to note that at the same time Mayor Becker is undermining our efforts, he is in the process of
hiring his THIRD full time bicycle issues staffer and has given at least a half million dollars to a volunteer
group to promote cycling in SLC. We realize the high value of cycling, many of us are avid cyclists, we are
simply asking why so much money and effort is put towards promoting one group while an equal amount seems to be
used to undermine another. We are simply asking for some consideration.

Please also send messages to the three City Councilmembers who voted against FIDOS - JT Martin, Van Turner
and Carlton Christensen at council.comments@slcgov.com. And remember to thank Soren Simonsen, Luke
Garrett, Jill Remington-Love, and Stan Penfold for their willingness to listen and consider the needs of our
user group. It takes five votes to overturn the mayor's veto, if there is any chance of this happening it has to
be soon, by January 4, 2011. Send your messages right away, especially if you are constituents of JT Martin, Van
Turner or Carlton Christensen.

The City Council voted on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010 for a revised plan that allowed continued "off leash" access in
"the gully."

Mayor Becker is going to veto this vote and believes that legally he can implement his original Management Plan.

This wonderful place that we have worked so hard to take care of has been taken away from off-leash users. The
Management Plan results for off-leash use:

You and your dog will be relegated to two small fenced areas and one trail where you can walk your dog off
leash but they must be "at heel".

YOU, YOUR KIDS AND YOUR DOG WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN THE STREAM except by the concrete bridge or at the
tube.

The neighborhood access will be closed. If you live east of 2700 East, you will get to enjoy a long paved
walked through the neighborhood, or get in your car to drive to the parking.

Mayor Becker has indicated by his words and actions that he places NO VALUE on our user group or us as his
constituents. He has been totally unresponsive to meeting requests and we have not even been given the courtesy of a
"no" response.

Take a minute to let the Mayor know that his actions are reprehensible, that his veto without so much as discussion
with the largest user group is inappropriate.

Send him a message - mayor@slcgov.com . It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that he knows how you feel about his veto
and his plan for the park. Numbers count - he is receiving thanks yous from those who want us gone - we need to send
him "NO THANK YOUS".

This is our last chance to save this "off leash" space from SEVERE restrictions!! We need EVERYONE to attend the
City Council meeting next Tuesday, December 7th, at 7:00 PM, in Room 315 at the City & County Building (451 S. State
St). You will have the opportunity to address the City Council and let them know how important this area is to us
and how we are willing and able to work with Salt Lake City to maintain and improve the area if we are allowed to
partner with them. There are three main points that they need to hear: the entire south side of the stream should
remain "off leash" (it is currently proposed as "on leash"), there needs to be three stream access points (the
current proposal is two); and the main entry road needs to be "off leash".

It is extremely important that all comments be positive and well thought out. Please be respectful and orderly. Pass
the word to others you know who care. We need to have a packed room.

Bark-In WILL NOT BE Nov. 30th. Do not got to City Hall with picket signs and your dogs! If needed, we will announce
the Bark-In soon. Please keep speaking with your City Council reps!

6/12/2010

Celebrate Outdoors:

Celebrate National Get Outdoors Day by joining us at the Venture Outdoors Festival on Saturday,
June 19 at Canyon Rim Park in Millcreek from 3pm to 10pm. The Festival connects kids, families and adults with the
many outdoor activities and opportunities available in our communities and on public lands. This free,
family-friendly event features fun and challenging recreation events, clinics, guest speakers, music, prizes,
creative children's activities, and great food all day long. Off-site morning events are offered to get folks
outside earlier in the day.

So bring the family and all your friends... because life's better outside! See below for
highlights!

Venture Volksmarch
Join us for our first annual Venture Volksmarch at 1:00 p.m. The event is a 3-mile, all-ages, all-family
Volkswanderen (or walk, in English) through Parley's Historic Nature Park. Modeled after the ages of old German
tradition, participants will enjoy the park's natural beauty and unique history while walking and socializing with
friends, family and neighbors. In keeping with the German tradition, the Volksmarch will finish with a lively brass
band and complimentary kuchen (cake).

Ugly Dog Contest with Millcreek F.I.D.O.S.
Do you have a dog that is maybe not terribly attractive but is the world's greatest dog? Then this contest is for
you! At 3:45 p.m. on the day of the Festival, Millcreek F.I.D.O.S. is holding an Ugly Dog Contest. Each contestant
(and owner) will be accompanied by a beautiful GEMS Talent model. The winner will go home with $100 and there will
be additional prizes for the runner-up and of course the most beautiful dog will get a "booby prize"! Remember you
can also use a costume to make your fidos a little less beautiful.

Dear FIDOS members and supporters:
Now it is time to take a stand for our dogs. We need people to come to speak to the City Council.

When: June 1 and June 8 (the next two Tuesdays)

7:00 PM

Where: The Salt Lake City Council Meeting

Old City/County Building on State Street in SLC, 2nd floor

What: Mayor Becker submitted his
recommendations to the Salt Lake City Council on May 6th regarding the master plan for Parley's Historic Nature
Park (AKA the Tanner gully). If you and your dog frequent this park, the Mayor's recommendations will severally
impact your ability to use and enjoy this park with your dog.

The Mayor's recommendations reduce the off-leash space from 88 acres to 10 acres (2 small fenced off-leash areas
with a connecting trail). The entire southern half of the park will be completely off-limits to dogs. The entire
recommendation can be viewed at: www.slcgov.com/publicservices/parks/

The final decision on this park lies with the City Council and they need to hear from you! Please join Millcreek
FIDOS in speaking out about the egregious recommendations by the Mayor!

Where you come in: The City Council allows people to speak for two minutes on any topic. People
should come prepared with a simple statement of why Parley's is important to them and why it's important to the
city. Personal statements are powerful, but we have other talking points we need to weave into our narrative. These
include:

The City Council voted definitively on this issue
of off-leash use in 2007, the Mayor's recommendations undermine the vote of the Council. Ask the Council to
support their original intent and support map/plan A.

The City is short $19 million dollars and is making difficult budget cuts, is this the time to be hiring an
expensive consultant and spending money on a new park plan with dramatic changes to a park that works as it is?

As is exists now, this park received the equivalent of thousands of dollars in volunteer services and materials
due to FIDOS. How much will it cost the City if FIDOS no longer hauls trash, builds boardwalks, and performs
invasive weed mitigation? Not to mention the prevention of criminal activity and illegal dumping because the
park is used and loved.

The park is a gem for an important group of citizens and voters: dog owners, and it enhances the City. Dog
owners are taxpaying citizens too.

There is no funding for the Mayor's plan and it will degrade the diversity of urban life--it is bad long term
planning

This is not just about PNHP, this is an issue that affects all off-leash areas and all districts in the
City--not just the district closest to Parleys/Tanner. If this park is not available, where will we go?

We will continue to go to the City Council until they make a decision on this issue. They will meet again the first two
Tuesdays in July. We'll send another email before that time.

Please come speak to the City Council and bring friends and children too. When dealing with politicians numbers matter.

This posting also includes some important documents that we should all be aware of:

Anyone new to the area should be aware that Millcreek Canyon is off-leash on ODD DAYS. For example, June 1, 3, 5, 7, and
9th are eligible days. When this rule is not followed, we endanger losing access to Millcreek Canyon.
Your Friends at Millcreek FIDOS

"Bark Now or Forever Hold Your Leash!!"

www.MillcreekFIDOS.org

5/20/2010

FIDOS General Meeting

Attention all FIDOS
Millcreek FIDOS will be holding a meeting on Thursday, May 27th, at 6:30 PM at the Sprague (Sugar House) Branch
Library at 2131 S 1100 E in the downstairs meeting room. There is a lot going on in the "off leash" dog world right
now and we will bring you all up to date on what we know. We are also interested in hearing from you about what you
have seen happening.

The most serious threat to "off leash" space right now is the proposal by Mayor Becker to take away the vast
majority of Parleys/Tanner Park/"the gully" and leave only two fenced in areas for us. Access to the stream will be
mostly removed and the entire south side of the park will be NO DOGS AT ALL, not even "on leash". That means that if
you are one of the many neighbors of the park who walk in using the south entrance from your homes, you will no
longer be able to. LOSS OF THIS SPACE IS HUGE AND WILL HAVE AN EXTREMELY NEGATIVE IMPACT FOR THOSE OF US WHO CHOOSE
TO RECREATE WITH OUR DOGS "OFF LEASH"!!! Mayor Becker's "plan" mentions that additional space throughout the County
is needed but does not propose any new areas. This "plan" means that ALL Salt Lake City "off leash" spaces will now
be small fenced in areas where you cannot get exercise along with your dog. The "plan" also shows an "off leash
trail" but has no definition of what that means.

There are many other concerns across the valley. New signs have popped up at various de facto dog areas. Enforcement
has been increased and tickets are being issued in areas that we have always understood were open to "off leash"
use. A new sign was posted at the gate in Millcreek Canyon this fall designating the road beyond the gate after the
gate was closed as "on leash", a new development and again, contrary to Salt Lake County ordinance.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND JOIN US AT THIS MEETING. THIS IS IMPORTANT!! WE NEED TO LET THE DECISION MAKERS KNOW
HOW IMPORTANT "OFF LEASH" SPACE IS TO US!! Once again, the SQUEEZE is on, we are in jeapordy of losing more and more
space.

We need your help!! See you there!!

4/28/2010

Parley’s Creek Riparian Corridor Workshop

Attention all FIDOS
Your input is requested TOMORROW to help SLC create a vision for the future of Parley's Creek.

WHAT: Two hour workshop for citizen input on Parley's Creek (not a come-and-go open house)WHEN: Thursday (TOMORROW) April 29, 6:00-8:00pm WHERE: Highland High School Library (2166 S 1700 East) WHY: THEY ARE EXPECTING US TO TURN OUT IN DROVES!!!

WHAT TO EXPECT:
I attended last night's workshop for City Creek. I WAS THE ONLY OFF-LEASH ADVOCATE and found myself having to defend dog owners against suggestions such as user fees for just us! We were held solely responsible for the poor condition of Memory Grove and upper City Creek and given no credit for the cleaning we do.

The consultants spend two hours giving an overview of their study with baseline assessments. The audience has the opportunity, throughout, to give input about what they want. For example, last night, one citizen stated that he wanted poison ivy left in City Creek, since it was native. This had not occurred to the consultant, but it will be part of the recommendation options.

PLEASE ATTEND TOMORROW NIGHT'S WORKSHOP! HELP THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE USERS WANT FOR PARLEY'S CREEK!

What can I do? Hike a trail and pick up trash. Email diane at tolo2@aol.com and let her know which trail you hiked
and it's condition. Join us at the gate and talk to folks.

Who: Everyone!

For more information, contact Diane at tolo2@aol.com

Wasatch Canyon Survey

We need everyone to complete this survey. Many of the questions don't specifically ask about dogs, but you can write
in the comment section that you want canyons open to dogs etc......
The survey takes maybe 10 minutes. It must be done by Friday, April 30th.

Please send this link to everyone. www.wasatchcanyons.slco.org

4/14/2010

Mayor Ralph Becker will be in Parley's Park to hear ideas about the consultant's plan

Mayor Ralph Becker will be hosting an open house in Parley?s Historic Nature Park on Thursday, April 15th at 5:30 pm.

The proposed plan seriously impacts dog use in the park. It proposes no dogs at all on the entire south side of the
park, the entire stream length will be fenced off except for a "pond" that is proposed to be dug at the very west
end by the culvert - no stream access for you and your dog, off leash dog use will be limited to two small fenced-in
areas at each end of the park with one connecting "off leash trail" linking them and eliminates any off leash use on
the north side of (or on) the new bike trail. The new restrictive rules will be strictly enforced by Salt Lake City
"staff rangers" as well as "volunteer rangers".

Due to the short length of the meeting and potential crowd size you might want to prepare a comment or two in
advance of the meeting to make the most of your opportunity with the Mayor. Meeting participants should feel free to
voice any feelings about the plan or Park, but please remember to be respectful in tone and manner with all
comments. Also, to allow you to focus on this event, you may want to leave your dog at home.

4/14/2010

3 Acre Cottonwood Dog Park

We wanted to cordially invite you to the inaugural education day at Salt Lake City's newest dog park this Saturday,
April 17th. The Cottonwood Park Dog Park is located right behind the Agriculture Building at 350 North Redwood Road.
The park features almost three acres of open space with some lovely trees for shade. Future upgrades are going to
include a water feature, benches and a "meet and greet" area at the park's entrance. The park is located along the
Jordan River Parkway and has a lovely paved trail you can enjoy. Members of FIDOS will be doing a clean up and
working a table so please come by with your pooch and say hi. Other community members will be doing a clean up along
the parkway so this is a great opportunity to show what an awesome user group we really are. We hope you will come
take advantage of this lovely park.

Where: Cottonwood Dog Park
350 North Redwood Road

When: Saturday, April 17th
9 AM to 12 PM

What to Bring: Your Pups

3/16/2010

The draft management plan was released today, and it is *not good* for off-leash use in
Parley's.

We need everyone who can to show up on Thursday! The comments we provide should be substantive, address conflicts
between the July 2007 council motion and the draft plan, show that dogs and multi-user groups can get along, address
the lack of dog space in the City, address flaws in the studies and comprehensive use plan, etc. Angry rants by
themselves won't carry the weight we need to change the direction of this plan. We ask everyone to speak their
minds, but please if you're representing FIDOS, remain professional!

Where: City/County Building
When:
Thursday, March 18th, 4:00 - 6:00 -
What: Tell the Planning Commission how much you value this space and how you feel about the possibility of losing
any of it!!!

Attention all FIDOS - If you use the Parleys (Tanner, the gully) off-leash area, you need to be aware of plans that
are in the works to reduce or eliminate the space and trails you may use.

YES, it wasn't that long ago that the off leash user group was acknowledged as a legitimate user group and given
a designated place we could enjoy with our human and canine families.

YES, we have all worked hard to keep the gully the wonderful place it is.

YES, the trail construction has done an immense amount of damage, far beyond the impact of people getting their
exercise with their families.

But, the Salt Lake City administration has decided that all of that is not important and formed a large stakeholders
committee with only one representative who was not a vocal opponent to off-leash dogs to determine what happens to
the space. We have not yet seen their decision but based on what we have heard, it will promote big changes and will
take away the majority of the park from off-leash use. This plan will be presented to the Salt Lake City Planning
Commission on Thursday, March 18th, at a public open house that will be held between 4:00 and 6:00 PM in the hall on
the first floor of the City/County Building, 451 S State.

This will be our first opportunity to see what the SLC administration has decided and it is important that those of
you who value and have worked hard to maintain this important off leash space look at the proposal and let SLC know
how you feel about it.

THIS IS IMPORTANT!!

Places where people who choose to recreate with their dogs are continually being closed. The space that is left is
important because there are a lot of us but the response to the complaint of "too many people" should not
be limit the space. If the fact that there are a lot of us is really a problem, then the solution should be keep
what is there and find more space for us. A busy park is a successful park. A park without people enjoying the space
shows that the needs of taxpayers are not being met.

Help to keep Parleys (Tanner, the gully) off leash - if our voices are not heard, we lose space!!! Be at the
City/County Building on Thursday, March 18th, at 4:00 - 6:00 - tell them how much you value this space and how you
feel about the possibility of losing any of it!!!

Keep it Going!

1/22/2010

We've had a long winter, and thanks to everyone who has picked up extra dog bags in the parks!

As the weather is starting to warm up a bit, the snow is melting and uncovering the usual amount of missed dog
bags. Grab an extra bag
on your way into the park and help pick up for spring!

Humane Society rescues dogs in Haiti

1/22/2010

To support the Humane Society’s efforts in Haiti, click the link below to go to Humane Society’s website:

The MILLCREEK F.I.D.O.S. (Friends Interested in Dogs and Open Space) are a group of concerned individuals who have
joined together to help secure off-leash areas for companion dogs and their owners in the Salt Lake County area.
F.I.D.O.S. works with local governments and regulatory
agencies to secure and maintain off-leash areas.

We hope to help dog owners locate areas where they can legally enjoy life in the outdoors with the four-legged
members of their family, and hope to help the public understand and participate in the
politics affecting these areas that we all love to visit with our dogs. We offer assistance to those who wish to
suggest locations for future off-leash areas, and we ask that the public keep us informed of new issues regarding off-leash areas, and coordinate volunteer efforts to maintain the safety and cleanliness of areas that have already
been set aside for us.

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader.
He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
- Unknown Author